John Ch20v19-23 - Peace Be With You

Thank you, Alex. Good morning, everyone. Nice to see you.

And look forward to catching up with you afterwards over tea and coffee.

! Please turn in your Bibles to Genesis.

We will be looking at John's Gospel as well, but we're going to read some verses in Genesis 1.

And then we're going to go to John's Gospel.

So last week we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

And over the next few weeks we're going to be looking at how that resurrection continues and goes on to shape and affect our lives today.

So let's hear God's Word. Genesis chapter 1, verse 1.

Genesis 1:1

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

Now the earth was formless and empty.

Darkness was over the surface of the deep.

And the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

And God said, let there be light.

And there was light.

God saw that the light was good.

And he separated light from the darkness.

God called the light day.

And the darkness he called night.

And there was evening and there was morning the first day.

Now go to verse 31.

As we come to the conclusion of the creation.

Verse 31.

God saw all that he made and it was very good.

And there was evening and there was morning the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.

By the seventh day, God had finished all the work he had been doing.

So on the seventh day, he rested from all his work.

Now let's go to John's Gospel.

Chapter 20.

John's Gospel, chapter 20.

And starting in at verse 19.

John 20, verse 19.

John 20:19

On the evening of that first day of the week,

when the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,

Jesus came and stood among them and said,

Peace be with you.

After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.

And the disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again, Jesus said,

Peace be with you.

As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.

And with that he breathed on them and said,

Receive the Holy Spirit.

If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven.

If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.

Well, let's pray.

And then we'll look at God's word together.

Our Father God, just as you spoke into the vast emptiness

and brought about the world in which we now live,

we pray that that powerful word would speak into our life,

speaking truth, encouragement, and challenge.

And most of all,

that you would speak into our fears

and fill us with joy.

We pray this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

The most extraordinary event in the history of the world

has taken place.

Not Artemis II,

who managed to find its way around the moon

and back to earth again.

No, a much greater event than that.

The event was the death of the Lord Jesus Christ,

his burial,

and his resurrection from the dead.

But not everyone is celebrating.

Jesus' closest followers,

if you see in verse 19,

were together with the doors locked

for fear of the Jewish leaders.

They had heard about the empty tomb.

They had listened to the account of Peter and John

who had gone into the tomb

and seen the burial cloths left lying there.

They had heard from Mary Magdalene's claim

that she had seen the risen Lord Jesus.

But instead of being filled with joy,

they are filled with fear.

If Jesus had been arrested and crucified,

then what's to stop the disciples

being arrested and crucified?

The doors are locked

and for good reason.

But everything is about to change.

The risen Jesus appears

and he speaks into their fears.

End of verse 19.

Peace be with you.

An encounter with the risen Lord Jesus

transforms their whole lives.

They go from being filled with fear

to the end of verse 20

to being overjoyed

when they saw the Lord.

Now we all have our fears, don't we?

Maybe it's what's happening in the world right now.

Escalating wars,

the fuel crisis,

cost of living.

Or maybe it's something in your own life.

Ongoing illness

or financial struggles

or failing relationships.

Well, the good news is

this same risen Jesus

speaks into our fears

and brings us joy.

And to help us know

and experience this

overflowing joy,

John highlights for us

three things

about the appearance

of the risen Jesus.

In the short verses

19 to 23,

we're told

when Jesus appears,

how Jesus appears,

and why Jesus appears.

So when he appeared,

how he appeared,

and why he appeared.

And each one of these

has significant implications

on our lives today.

So first,

Jesus' resurrection

guarantees

a new creation.

Jesus' resurrection

guarantees

a new creation.

Notice

the when.

Notice

when

Jesus

appeared.

Verse 19,

on the evening

of that first day

of the week

when the disciples

were together.

Now,

why is the day

so important

for John to record?

Why doesn't he just say

they were meeting together?

Why is he telling us

about the first day

of the week?

Well,

the first day

of the week

is a Sunday.

And it's been

a full week

since

the resurrection

of Jesus.

You see,

I think we're to make

a connection here.

We're to make

a connection

between

the week

of creation

and the week

of resurrection.

Now,

let me show you.

You follow carefully

with me

and we'll see

how this is true.

First,

look back

at chapter 20,

verse 1.

chapter 20,

verse 1.

Early on the

first day

of the week,

so Jesus had died

on the Friday,

he was raised

on the Sunday,

which is the first

day of the week,

and it is still

dark.

Now,

the fact that it's dark

is not just telling us

that the sun

hadn't yet risen.

darkness reflects

the hopelessness

and helplessness

of the disciples.

Death is weighing

heavy on them.

Darkness

surrounds them.

Now,

think back

to the first day

of creation week.

We read it

just a moment ago.

Here's what it says.

Now,

the earth

was formless

and empty,

and darkness

was over

the surface

of the deep.

And God

said,

let there be

light,

and there

was light.

You see,

just as God

brought light

into the darkness

at that creation,

so the resurrection

brings light

into the darkness

of our lives.

But what is

this light

that comes

into our life?

Well,

look again

at chapter 20,

verse 19.

Chapter 20,

verse 19.

On the evening

of that first day

of the week,

when the disciples

were together,

so a full week

has passed

since Jesus

has been raised.

Now,

with that in mind,

so a whole week

has gone,

with that in mind,

think back

to the last day

of the creation

account.

And here's

what it says.

It's on the screen

for you.

By the seventh day,

God had finished

the work

he had been doing,

so on the seventh day

he rested

from all

his work.

You see,

just as God

had finished

the work

of creation,

just as God

had rested

from all

his work,

so the risen

Jesus appears

and he calls

us to rest

in his finished

work

of redemption.

You see,

the resurrection

marks a new

beginning.

This is the light

that floods

into our darkness.

Jesus is coming

to us and saying,

come to me

and you will

experience

a new creation

in your own life.

I have come

to give you

a fresh start

and a new beginning.

I've died

for your sins,

I've risen again

and I give you

new life.

Just as God

spoke those words

at the beginning

of creation

into the darkness,

bringing light,

light.

So the risen

Jesus comes

and stands

amongst us

and speaks

words of new

life,

of light

and hope

and fullness.

The Apostle Paul

put it like this,

Jesus.

Therefore,

if anyone

is in

Christ,

if they are

trusting in

Christ,

the new

creation

has come,

the old

is gone

and the new

is here.

You see,

the resurrection

of Jesus

makes us

new.

He takes us

from darkness,

from hopelessness

and helplessness

and he brings

us into

the glorious

light

of life

with Christ.

But more

than that,

the resurrection

guarantees

not just to

bring a new

creation with

our own

life,

but a new

creation of

this world,

this broken,

decaying

and destroying

world,

Jesus

will one day

renew

and bring it

to its

fullness.

Again,

a quote from

Revelation,

helps us

here.

No,

there we

are.

Revelation

21,

John says,

the same

author of

John's

gospel,

I saw

a new

heaven

and a

new

earth.

For the

first

earth

and the

first

heaven

had

passed

away.

And he

who was

seated

on the

throne,

which is

the risen

Lord Jesus,

said,

I am

making

everything

new.

Then he

said,

write this

down,

for these

words are

trustworthy

and true.

You see,

when Jesus

appeared

is really

important.

John is

telling us,

I want you

to make this

connection

between

creation

and the

resurrection.

Just as

God spoke

words of

life,

so the

risen

Jesus

comes

and speaks

words of

life.

It tells

us that

Jesus'

resurrection

guarantees

a new

creation.

resurrection.

So that's

the when

of how

Jesus

appeared.

Second,

Jesus'

resurrection

declares

a new

resurrection.

So notice

here how

Jesus

appears.

Again,

verse 19.

On the

evening of

the first

day of

the week,

when the

disciples were

together with

the doors

locked for

fear of

the Jewish

leaders,

Jesus came

and stood

among them.

Now isn't

that incredible?

The doors

are locked

and Jesus

appears in

the room

with the

disciples.

A similar

event happens

a little bit

later on.

If you just

scan down

to verse

26.

A week

later,

his disciples

were in

the house

again and

Thomas was

with them.

Though the

doors were

locked,

Jesus came

and stood

among them.

Well,

how on

earth

did Jesus

do that?

I mean,

it's not your

normal everyday

today occasion,

is it?

Every room

you went in

today,

you either

opened a

door or the

door was

already opened.

You didn't

go walking

into the

wall,

did you?

That would

hurt.

Try it

out.

How did

Jesus do

it?

Well,

John dispels

any notion

of it being

an apparition.

He wants

us to know

that this

isn't just

the spirit

of Jesus,

a kind

of ghostly

figure that's

appeared.

No,

it's the

actual

physical

body of

Jesus.

Verse 20.

After he

had said

this,

he showed

them his

hands,

where the

nails had

been,

and his

side,

where the

sword had

been put

into his

side.

You see,

they not

only see

Jesus,

they're not

only listening

to Jesus

talk,

they can

actually touch

Jesus.

You see,

the resurrection

of Jesus

was a bodily

resurrection.

but more

than that,

it was a

transformed

body.

He could

walk through

walls,

literally.

You see,

it's telling

us that

Jesus didn't

just rise

from the

dead,

but that

he defeated

death.

He is

declaring

victory

over death.

He is

making a

way for

us to

experience

a new

kind

of

resurrection.

We'll know

from John's

gospel that

other people

were also

raised to

life.

Go back

with me to

John chapter

John 11 · chapter mention

11.

John chapter

John 11 · chapter mention

11.

This is the

account of

Lazarus

being raised

from the

dead.

So,

John chapter

John 11 · chapter mention

11 and

verse 43.

So,

Lazarus has

been in

the tomb

for three

days,

and Jesus

arrives at

the tomb

where

Lazarus

had been

buried.

And we

pick it

up in

verse 43.

Jesus

called in

a loud

voice,

Lazarus,

come out.

the dead

man came

out,

his hands

and feet

wrapped with

strips of

linen and

a cloth

round his

face.

And Jesus

said to

them,

take off

the grave

clothes and

let them

go.

Let's go

back to

chapter 20.

Now,

wasn't that

amazing,

wonderful

experience for

Lazarus.

There he

was,

dead in

the tomb,

and Jesus

calls out,

Lazarus,

come out.

And Lazarus

walks out of

that tomb.

But you

know what?

A time

would come

again when

Lazarus

would have

to die

again.

Yes,

he walked

out of

the tomb,

but a day

would come

when he

would be

carried back

into the

tomb.

He would

die again.

But the

resurrection

of Jesus

was different.

Jesus

wasn't just

raised from

the dead.

He was

victorious

over death.

He was

raised with

a new

and transformed

body.

A body

that could

walk through

walls.

An immortal

body.

A body

that wouldn't

die again.

A body

that would

live

forever.

Think of

a train

tunnel with

me.

darkness

and darkness

comes around

and darkness

comes around

until it

gets out

through to

the other

side.

Well,

here it's

telling us

that Jesus

has entered

into the

tunnel of

darkness of

death.

But unlike

Lazarus who

went into

the tunnel

and came

out the

same way,

Jesus

smashes

right through

and comes

out the

other side

into

glorious

light.

No wonder

Jesus could

now say

to his

disciples

who were

in fear,

end of

verse 19,

peace

be with

you.

Jesus

has not

only

established

a new

creation,

he has

defeated

death

utterly

and

completely

so that

we too

can

experience

a new

kind

of

resurrection.

And that's

what the

resurrection

of Jesus

has achieved.

Jesus

declares

an

irreversible

victory

over

death.

He's

gone

through

the

tunnel

of

darkness

and

death.

He

has

pioneered

a way

through

the

grave

so

that

when

we

die

we

too

will

be

raised

with

a

new

body

a

transformed

immortal

body

a

body

that

will

never

ache

or

struggle

again

a

body

that

will

never

die

but

will

live

forever

in

God's

new

creation.

So

when

Jesus

appears

is

important

and

how

Jesus

appears

is

important.

He

appears

with a

physical

body.

It's

telling

us that

Jesus'

resurrection

declares

a new

resurrection

for his

people.

So

when

Jesus

appeared

how

Jesus

appeared

is

important

and

in

this

we

think

about

why

Jesus

appeared.

Jesus'

resurrection

establishes

a new

mission.

So

notice here

why

Jesus

appears.

Verse 21

again

Jesus

said

peace

be

with

you.

As

the

father

has

sent

me

I

am

sending

you.

Now

why

did

the

father

send

Jesus?

Well

listen to

what John

has

already

said.

John

3

17

for

God

did

not

send

his

son

to

condemn

the

world

but

to

save

the

world

through

him.

You

see

Jesus

was

sent

to

save

the

world

people

like

you

and

me

from

the

condemnation

we

deserve

and

he

did

that

by

taking

our

sins

on

himself

and

dying

in

our

place.

The

work

is

now

completed.

He

cries

from

the

cross

it

is

finished.

The

proof

and

the

evidence

that

it

is

finished

is

the

resurrection.

So

our

new

mission

today

is

for

us

to

go

into

the

world

with

the

message

of

the

resurrection.

The

message

that

Jesus

guarantees

a new

creation,

a new

beginning

and a

fresh

start

and the

hope

of a

new

creation

to

come.

He

promises

a new

kind

of

resurrection

where

death

has

been

defeated

and the

promise

of a

new

transformed

body

never

to

die

again.

This

is our

mission.

We have

been sent

by the

risen

Jesus

to

proclaim

that

Jesus

is

risen

and

it's

a good

news

message.

And

thankfully

we're

not

left

on our

own

to

do

it.

Verse

22

And

with

that

Jesus

breathed

on them

and said

receive

the

Holy

Spirit.

You

see it's

the

Spirit

who

comes

alongside

us.

The

helper,

the

comforter,

the

advocate,

the

one

who

comes

to

us

to

help

us

speak

the

truth

about

the

resurrection.

You

see it's

not easy

for us

to go

into

our

workplace,

our

college,

amongst

our

friends

and talk

about

the

resurrection.

People

will

think

you're

cuckoo

for

believing

it.

It's

not

easy.

Well

the

Spirit

himself

has

been

given

the

very

power

that

raised

the

Lord

Jesus

from

the

dead

is

the

same

power

that

is

at

work

in

those

who

believe.

And so

he,

by his

Spirit,

will help

us to

faithfully

declare the

good news

that Jesus

lives.

fear.

You see,

people are

living in

fear.

Talk to

your

friends

this

coming

week.

People

fear the

present.

They

fear the

future.

And most

of all,

people fear

death.

People

are

frightened

to die.

And our

mission is

to come

into the

midst of

that and

speak of

the hope

of

resurrection.

But not

only do we

speak of

the hope

of

resurrection,

we can

speak of

sins being

forgiven.

Look at

verse 23.

At the

heart of

our message

is this.

If you

forgive

anyone's

sins,

their sins

are forgiven.

forgiven.

If you

do not

forgive

them,

they are

not

forgiven.

Now,

there's a

lot of

confusion

around this

verse.

It doesn't

mean to

say that

you or

I decide

who's

going to

be

forgiven.

So,

well,

I like

Kirsty.

After all,

she's my

wife,

so I'll

forgive her.

But I

don't say

to Alex,

I don't

particularly

like Alex

today,

so I'm

not going

to forgive

him.

And he's

going,

oh no,

he's going

to turn

off something

else.

That's

alright.

That's

not what

it means.

When

someone hears

the gospel

message that

Jesus died

for our

sins and

had defeated

death,

and if that

person who

hears it

responds in

repentance and

faith,

we can say

to that

person,

with absolute

certainty,

your sins

are forgiven.

Eight people

are going to

be here next

week and

are going to

be baptized

because they've

heard the

good news of

Christ and

they've trusted

him and we

will say

without any

doubt whatsoever,

your sins

are forgiven.

But if

someone rejects

the risen

Jesus and

says I

don't want

anything to

do with

him,

we can

also say

with complete

authority,

your sins

are not

forgiven.

It will

be separation

from God,

not in the

new creation,

but something

far, far

worse,

hell

itself.

so if you

are here

this morning

and you

have not

yet

experienced

forgiveness,

repent,

place your

faith in

Jesus today

because when

we do,

what good

news,

we experience

a new

creation

and the

promise

of a new

kind of

resurrection.

resurrection.

But if

you are here

today and

you are

forgiven,

then go

with the

power of

the Holy

Spirit,

speaking the

hope of

resurrection

into people's

fears so

that they

too may be

filled with

joy,

overjoyed

because they

have met

the risen

Jesus.

When Jesus

appears is

important.

How he

appears and

why he

appears is

deeply

significant for

us all.

He brings

about a new

creation, a

new resurrection

and a new

mission.

Let us go

with hope

and confidence

filled with

joy.

Let's pray

together.

Father, help

us to see

that life

isn't about

looking into

the past,

but looking

back to

the historical

fact of

Christ risen

from the

dead and

how that

continues to

shape and

change and

affect our

life today.

Father,

speak into

our fears.

Fill us

with joy.

May we go

with the

help of

your Spirit,

speaking of

the wonder

of your

resurrection

to others.

In Jesus'

name,

Amen.

Amen.